Tile-coating machine.



0. METZNER TILE GOATING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED sEPT.1s, 1912.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHE-ET l.

I I l 1 1 1 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM co.. WASHINGTON. ii'c.

0. METZNER. TILE GOATING MAUHINE. APPLICATION MLPD SPPT.16, 1m.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 `SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l1/wanton COLUMNA PLANOURAPH C0,.WASHINGTON. n.1;

TTR STATES,V AT

FTQIL.

OTTO METZNER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROOKWOOD POTTERY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OI-IIO.

TILE-COATING MACHINE.

tenaces..

To all wlw/m, it may concern Be it known that I, O'rro Mn'rznnn, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful In'iprovements in Tile- Coating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tile coating apparatus and has for an object toproduce an improved machine for distributing granular or powdered tile coating material over the faces of tile.

A further object is to produce an apparatus which is simpler in construction, more eective in operation and easier to operate and more rapid than machines now in use or known to me.

Various means are employed in the tile industry for coating the surfaces of tile with the material which forms the glaze after the tile are iired. The glazing material may be placed on the tile in a liquid or in a dry and powdered forni; and this invention contemplates a machine for evenly distributing a coating of -granular or powdered glazing or coloring material across the faces of tiles. The dry glazing material is usually applied to the faces of the tile by hand or by means of sieves, which are shaken over tile to be coated, in an endeavor to apply an even coating of the desired thickness to the faces of the tile. This method, however, is not accurate, since it largely depends on the individual skill of the operator, and it is even difficult for a skilful operative to cover each tile with the desired amount of coating material and to evenly distribute the material over the face of the tile.

One of the objects of this invention is to produce apparatus which, to a large extent, eliminates the possibility of errors on the part of the operatives, and which will deliver a desired amount of the coating niaterial to each tile and spread it evenly over the face of the tile, even though the person operating the machine is not particularly skilful.

A further object is to produce a tile coating machine in which automatic means are employed for delivering definite and measured quantities or" coating material to the distributer of the machine.

These and other objects I attain by means of apparatus embodying the features herein Speciicaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 16, 1912.

Patented Apr. iii, Mila.

serial No. 720,454.

described, and illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application.

In the drawings, Figure l is a fragmental sectional elevation of 'a machine embodying my invention and illustrates the parts in the positions they occupy when the conveyer and the distributer are moved to the filling positions. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, of the machine shown in Fig. 1, portions being shown in section for con` venience of illustration. Fig. 2 illustrates in full lines the positions the parts occupy lduring the operation of spreading the coating material over the tiles, and in broken lines the positions the parts occupy during the distributer filling operation. Fig. 3 is a fragmental perspective view of a distributer which forms a detail of the illustrated embodiment of my invention. Fig. el is a perspective view of a measuring and filling receptacle, which forms a detail of the illustrated apparatus, and is shown in connection with a fragmental perspective view of a portion of the conveyer frame and a receptacle returning hook or catch, which also forms a detail of the illustrated apparatus. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the parts shown in Fig. 4:, and illustrates the positions they occupy during the operation of filling the distribut/er.

The apparatus illustrated as an einbodiment of my invention includes a support for tile during the coating operation, a distributer for spreading the coating material over the surface of the tile on the support, a movable conveyer on which the distributer is reciprocally mounted and which is capable of being moved from the coating or operative position to a filling position, in which the distributer is filled with a determined and measured amount of glazing or coating material. The apparatus also includes a measuring receptacle, which is automatically filled and which operates automatically to fill the distributer.` A movable and automatically operated hopper is also provided, kin the apparatus illustrated, for filling the measuring receptacle.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, loy means of the reference numerals: The apparatus illustrated as an embodiment of my invention includes a swinging frame or conveyer 7, which is secured to the frame portion 8 of the machine, by means of pivoted levers or links 9 and 10, in such a way that it is capable of being swung from an operative position on the front portion of the frame 8, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2, to a distributer lilling position on the rear portion of the frame 8, as is illustrated in'F ig. 1, and in the dotted lines in Fig. 2.

'1`he conveyer 7, as illustrated, consists of a rectangular frame, which is provided with a screen or perforated sheet 11, preferably so mounted that its position on the conveyer, and its lateral tension may be varied as desired. In the apparatus illustrated, the lateral edges of the screen aie secured to longitudinally extending strips 12, each of which is located near one side of the conveyer 7, and is adjustably secured to the conveyer by means of bolts 13. The bolts 13 are shown as b-eing provided with wing nuts and may be adjusted to move the strips 12 to different positions, with relation to the forward and rearl edges of the conveyer, and to thereby vary the position of the screen or vary its lateral tension.

An open bottomed distributer 14 is reciprocally mounted on the conveyer 7, and, as illustrated, consists of a rectangular frame, the internal longitudinal dimension of which is substantially equal to the length of the screen. The distributer is so mounted, that it is capable of being moved laterally across the entire width of the screen, for the purpose of sifting the coating material, contained in it, through the screen. This is accomplished, in the illustrated apparatus, by mounting the distributer on reciprocally mounted rods 15 and 16, which are mounted in suitable bearings provided on the conveyer. lThe inner ends of the rods 15 are rigidly secured to the forward lateral face of the distributor and the rods project forwardly, so that their outer ends extend beyond the forward edge of the conveyer. The forward ends of the rods 16 are rigidly mounted on the rear face of the distributer and the rods 16 extend rearwardly, with reference to the frame portion S, and project beyond the rear face of the conveyer. lVith this arrangement the rods 15 and 16 support and also guide the distributer, and it can be readily moved across the face of the screen 11 by moving the rods 15 back and forth. If desired, the forward or projecting ends of the rods 15 may be provided with knobs or handles, as illustrat-ed. lthe dist-ributer is also provided with vibrators or rakes 17, which are adapted to bear against the screen, to aid in distributing the coating material across the face of the screen and to vibrate the screen by contacting with its longitudinally extending wires. As illustrated, the vibrators 17 -consist of comb-like members. which are loosely mounted in longitudinally extending ways or slots 18, provided in the distributer adjacent to its lateral edges. Each vibrator is weighted and is so located that its teeth extend vertically and are held by the weight of the vibrator in contact with the face of the screen. The distributer is also provided with scrapers 19, which are so mounted on the exterior lateral faces of the distributer, that their lower edges yieldingly press upon the face of the screen. As illustrated, each scraper consists of a flat metal strip and is secured to the distributer by means of screws, which extend through vertically extending slots provided in the strip. With this arrangement the lower edges of the Scrapers are held against the screen, and they operate to scrape the coating material across the face of the screen. The distribut-er is also provided with a longitudinally extending compartment 20, intoV which the coating material is placed, and from which it is delivered through the screen. The compartment 20 is of such length that it extends across the entire length of the screen and it is located centrally of the conveyer between the vibrators 17.

The apparatus illustrated is` provided with a measuring receptacle 21, for deliv-` ering measured and determined quantities of coating material to the compartment 2O of the distributer 14. As illustrated, the receptacle 21 is V-shaped in cross-section and is pivotallyl mounted on a shaft 22, which extends transversely of the apparatus, so that it is capable of tilting from an upright position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, to the dumping or delivering po sition, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The receptacle is provided with a downwardly extending' finger 23, which is located below the shaft 22 in such a. position that it is engaged by the conveyer, as the conveyer is moved back to the position shown in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The finger 23, when so engaged, turns the receptacle about its mounting shaft. to such ay position that it falls forward by its own weight, and thereby delivers a charge of the coating material to the distributer. Means are also provided for lifting the receptacle 21 back from the delivering position, as the conveyer is swung tothe forward position on the frame 8. This is accomplished in the apparatus illustra-ted by providing a laterally projecting lug 24, on the finger 23, and a latch or hook 25, on the conveyer frame 7. The lug 24 is so located with reference to the position of the hook 25 on the conveyer, that it moves upwardly into the line of travel of the hook 25 asV the finger 23 swings back in response to the pressure of the conveyer. With this arrangement, the hook 25 engages the lug 24, as the conveyer s moved forward from llO the filling position, and operates to swing the receptacle 2l back to the normal or upright position. A movable hopper Q6 is provided on the machine for filling the receptacle 21 with the coating material, and then for leveling ott the coating material contained in the receptacle, so that the receptacle always contains a definite and determined amount of the material.

rlhe hopper 2G is open at the top and bottom, is located on the frame 8 below a supply box 27, and is adapted to imove forward across a plate QS-from a position in which its upper end registers with an aperture 29 formed in the bottom ot the box 27, to a position in which the lower end fits over the receptacle Clwwhen the conveyer 7 is moved from the rear to the forward position on the frame portion S. The hopper is also adapted to move back across the plate when the conveyor is moved back to the rear position on the frame. The hopper may be of any desired shape, but as illustrated it converges toward the lower end and is mounted on ways 30 provided on the frame portion 8. The conveyer actuates the hopper through the agency of a pair of links 34, each of which is pivotally connected to a separate post 35, rigidly mounted on the conveyor. Each link is connected to the hopper by a lost motion connection, comprising a slot 36 formed in the link 34 and a pin 37 mounted on the hopper. The lost motion connections are so proportioned, that, during the forward motion of the conveyor the hopper lags behind a sufficient amount to insure the moving of the receptacle 2l to the upright position, in which its rear edge engages and stands flush with the forward edge of the plate 28. The lost motion connections are also so proportioned that the hopper is moved back across the plate 2S, so that its bottom edges free the upper edges of the receptacle 21, before the finger 23, of the receptacle, is engaged by the conveyer. As the hopper moves back across the plate the forward edge of the plate closes its lower end, and the forward edge of the hopper levels olf the coating material contained in the receptacle, so that the receptacle is filled even with its upper edges. lith this arrangement a determined and definite amount of coating material is delivered to the receptacle each time the receptacle is filled, and consequently a determined amount of coating material is de livered to the distributer during each filling operation.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The conveyer 7 is moved back to the rear position for the purpose of filling the distributer let. This is accomplished by moving the distributer laterally across the face of the distributor screen 11, until it contacts with the rear edge of the conveyer,

and then by exerting sufficient pressure on a handle 7', with which the conveyor is provided, to swing the conveyer to the rear position. This is easily accomplished since the weight of the conveyer is counter-balanced by a weight 26, which is mounted on the link l0 and is capable of being moved to adjusted positions along the link. As the conveyer swings to the rear position on the frame 8, the hopper 26 is moved back along the plate 28 through the agency of the links 34;. After the hopper is moved back past the forward edge of the plate 28 the rear face of the conveyer abuts against t-he finger 23 of the measuring receptacle and tilts the receptacle so that it falls forwardly, by its own weight, and delivers the coating maw terial, contained in it, to the compartment 2O of the distributer. The conveyor' is then swung to the forward position over the tile support by a pull on the handle 7. As the conveyer moves to the forward position it first moves the receptacle to the upright position, and then moves the hopper 2G forward to the filling position, as has been described.

The receptacle 21 is so proportioned that it delivers pre-determined amounts of coating material to the distributor during each filling operation, and the area of the screen 1l is so proportioned, with reference to the size of the receptacle 2l, that the coating material, delivered by the receptacle to the distributor, will cover an area, equal to the area of the screen, to a determined depth. In addition to this the receptacle is provided with means for securing inserts or strips 39 in place within its interior for the purpose of reducing its interior volume, or its capacity for receiving coating material. Each strip 39 is adapted to be secured to one of the inclined sides of the receptacle and is so formed that it extends the entire length of the receptacle and its upper edge is flush with the adjacent upper edge of the receptacle. The inserts or strips 39 may be varied in thickness for the purpose of varying the amount of coating material which the receptacle will receive. This provides a simple and easy way of varying the thickness of the coatingdelivered by the distributer, since all that is necessary is to secure an insert of the desired thickness to the interior face of the receptacle, and the apparatus will operate automatically to spread the amount of material delivered to it in even layers over the tile o-n the support.

During the coating operation tile are located on the tile support 38, which is located on the frame 8 below the forward position of the conveyer 7, and the distributer is moved laterally, first in one direction and then in the other, across the entire width of the screen. If this motion is maintained substantially uniform, the distributer will deliver' equal quantities of the coating material through equal sized portions of the screen; and consequently, will spread a coating of equal depth throughout the entire area covered by the screen. The tile located on the tile support receive the coating material as it falls from the distributer and consequently receive even coatings of glazing material. As has been said, the vibrators 17 cause a vibratory motion of the screen and consequently aid in the delivery of the coating material. The scrapers 19 also aid in forcing the material through the screen and they also confine the material between the lateral edges of the distributer, before it passes through the screen. In other words the scrapers 19 operate in conjunction with the vibrators to prevent a thin layer o-f the material from being distributed over, and resting upon the face of the screen.

During' the tile coating operation the distributor operates to cover, with the coating material, an area, equal to the area of ythe screen, irrespective olf the number of tile to be coated, and consequently, means nifust be provided for catching the material which falls past the tile located on the support. In the drawings a removable drawer a8 is provided for this p-urpose and is adapted to be mounted on a platform immediately below the tile support. Removable drawers 49 and 50 are also provided, which are respectively mounted below the receptacle 21 and the box 27 and are adapted to catch material, which may be accidentally spilled. All of the drawers may be removed for the purpose of pouring the material back into the box 27. After one set of tile are coated the conveyer is swung back to the distributer-filling position and the coated tile are removed from, and other tile are placed on the tile support, and the operation just described is repeated.

Under some operating conditions I find it necessary to provide means for preventing moist coating' material from caling or stopping' up the meshes of the screen. In the apparatus illustrated I have provided a heater 51, which is located on the frame portion 8, at a point immediately below that occupied by the screen, when the conveyer 7 is swung to the distributer filling position, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The heater heats the screen 11 and therefore aids in drying out the coating material, since the heat imparted to the screen is imparted to the material during the distributing operation, and consequently dries out the material and prevents it from clogging up the meshes of the screen. An electric heater is preferably employed and is so located and arranged that it will heat the entire screen and also permit the coating material which may drop from 19. In the drawings I have illustrated an `electric heater, each element of which is triangular in cross-section and is so arranged that tlie coating material cannot collect on the heater and impair its heating qualities. The terminals 52 of the heater illustrated may be connected to any suitable source of current supply. During the operation of coating tile, theconveyer is moved first to the distributing position over the tile support and then tothe filling position over the heater, and consequently the heater is capable of keeping the screen hot and still does not interfere with the tile on the support or detrimentally affect the operation of the apparatus.

It will be understood that the machine illustrated may be employed for spreading equal layers of any kind of powdered or granular material, and that it may be employed in industries other than the tile industry. It will also be understood that coloring as well as glazing material. may be applied to tile by the machine.

In accordance with the United States Patent statutes I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, but I desire it to be understood that-various changes, modifications and substitutions may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing 'from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a distributing screen for spreading coating material, a tile support located below the screen and an open bottomed receptacle for receiving coating material and for spreading it across the screen, said receptacle being' movable across the screen.

Q. Iii-an apparatus of the character described, a movable conveyer, a distributing screen carried by the conveyer, a distributer movable across the screen and mounted on the conveyer, and means actuated by the conveyer for filling the distributer.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a tile support mounted on the frame, a conveyer movably mounted on the frame and movable to a position over the support, a distributing screen mounted on the conveyer, a distributer mounted on the conveyer above the screen andV provided with an open bottomed coating material receiving chamber, and means for moving the distributer across the screen.

4. LIn an apparatus of the character described, a tile support, a movable conveyer located above the support, a distributing screen mounted on the' conveyer, a distrib- Y uter mounted on the conveyer above the screen and movable thereacross and yhaving a coating material receiving chamber formed thereon, and means for guiding the motion of the distributer across the screen.

5.*In an apparatus of the character described, a distributer having a coating material receiving chamber formed therein and extending longitudinally thereof, a receptacle adapted to dump a supply of coating material into the chamber', a screen substantially equal in Width to the length of the chamber and proportioned in area to the capacity of the receptacle, such that the charge held by the receptacle Will cover the screen t`o a predetermined depth, and means for moving the distributer across the face of the screen.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a tile support, a movable conveyer located above the support, a distributing` screen mounted on the conveyer, a distributer movably mounted on the conveyer above the screen and having a coating material receiving compartment formed therein and extending longitudinally thereof, and means for moving the distributer across the face of the screen.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a distributing screen, a distributer movable across the screen, an automatic measuring receptacle for iilling the distributer, and an automatically actuated hopper for filling the receptacle.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a tile support, a distributer movable across the support, a measuring receptacle for lillinoa the distributer, means for moving the istributer tovvard and away from the support and means, actuated by the first mentioned means, for actuating the receptacle to till the distributer.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a tile support, a distributer movable across the support, a measuring receptacle, a hopper for filling the receptacle, and means for moving the distributer to a position above the support and to a receptacle filling posit-ion, and means actuated thereby for actuating the receptacle to fill the distributer and for moving the hopper to till the receptacle.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a distributer with a measuring receptacle for delivering coating material thereto, and a removable insert for varying the capacity of the receptacle.

11. In combination with a distributer, a measuring receptacle for delivering coating material to the distributer, said receptacle being V-shaped in cross-sectional area, a removable insert i'or varying the capacity ot the receptacle and means for securing the insert to an inclined side thereof.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, a distributing screen, a distributer, means for moving the distributer across the screen and a comb with its teeth resting upon the screen and carried by the distributer across the screen to impart vibration thereto.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, a distributing screen, a distributer mounted above and movable across the screen and having a coating material compartment formed therein, and a Vibrator mounted on the distributer for engaging the screen and for producing a vibratory motion thereof as the distributer is moved across the screen.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, a distributing screen, a distributer located above and movable across the screen and having a coating material receptacle formed therein, a vibrator actuated by the distributer in its movement across the screen, for causing a vibratory motion of the screen and a scraper carried by the distributer and yieldingly engaging the face of the screen.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a tile support mounted on the frame, a distributer mounted on the frame above, and movable across, the support and having a coating material compartment formed therein, a measuring receptacle mounted on the frame and actuated by the motion of the distributer to deliver coating material to the receptacle.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, a tile support, a conveyer movable to a position over the support, a distributer mounted on the conveyer, a pivotally mounted receptacle for filling the distributer engaged by, and moved to a delivering position by, the conveyer, and means for righting the receptacle.

17. A tile coating machine comprising, a tile support, a distributer movable across the support, a receptacle for filling the distributer, a hopper for filling the receptacle and a. conveyer, on Which the distributer is mounted, for actuating the receptacle and the hopper.

18. In a tile coating machine, a tile support, a conveyer movable to a position above the support, a distributer movably mounted on the conveyer, a measuring receptacle for filling the distributer, a movable hopper for filling the receptacle and means actuated by the conveyer for moving the hopper.

19. In combination in a tile coating machine, a tile support, a movable conveyer, a screen carried by the conveyer', a distributer mounted on the conveyer and movable across the screen, a movable receptacle actuated by the conveyer for filling the distributer, a movable hopper for lling the receptacle and means actuated by the conveyer for moving the hopper.

20. In combination in a tile coating machine, a tile support, a swinging conveyer movable to a position above the support, a distributer mounted on the conveyer and movable across the support, a measuring receptacle for the distributer actuated by the conveyer, a movable hopper for filling the receptacle and for leveling off the material contained therein and means actuated by the conveyer for moving the hopper.

2l. In an apparatus of the character described, a receptacle for holding coatingmaterial, a tile support, a distributer movable from a point adjacent to the receptacle to a point above the tile support, a screen upon the bottom of the distributer, and a heater located adjacent to the path of the distributer and at a distance from the tile support.

22. In combination in an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a tile support mounted Von the frame, a heater mounted on the frame, a movable conveyer mounted on the frame and movable from a position over the tile support to a position over the heater, and a distributing screen mounted on the conveyer.

23. In combination in an apparatus of the class described, a frame, a conveyer mounted on the frame and movable to a forward or distributing position and to a rear or filling position, a distributing screen on the conveyer, a tile support located on the frame below the forward position of the conveyer and a heater for the screen mounted on the frame below the rear position of the conveyer.

24;. In an apparatus of the character described, a receptacle for holding coating material, a tile support, a distributer movable from a point adjacent to the receptacle to a point above the tile support, a screen upon the bottom of the distributer, and a heater adjacent to the receptacle and in position to heat the screen When the distributer is adjacent to the receptacle.

25. In an apparatus of the character described, a distributing screen for spreading coating material, a tile support located below the screen, an agitator in contact With the screen, means for moving the agitator across thescrcen, and a heater ior heating the screen.

26. In an apparatus of the character described, a distributing screen, a distributer movable across the screen and having a coating material compartment formed therein, and means located on each side of the compartment for causing a vibratory motion of the screen as the distributer is moved thereacross.

27. In an apparatus of the character described, a distributing screen, a distributer 'movable across the screen and having a coat- 28. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a tile support mounted on the frame, a conveyer movably mounted on the frame, located above the support and movable to a position over the support, a distributer screen mounted on the conveyer, a distributer mounted on the conveyer above the screen and having a coating material receiving compartment formed therein, and means for moving the distributer across the screen, and the conveyer along' the frame.

29. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a tile support mounted on the frame, a conveyer mo-vably mounted on the frame and movable to a position over the support, a distributing screen mounted on the conveyer, a distributer mounted'on the frame above the screen and having a coating material compartment formed therein, a fill-v ing receptacle mounted on the frame for delivering coating material to the distributer, a movable hopper for delivering coating material to the filling receptacle, means for moving the distributer laterally across the conveyer, means for actuating the filling receptacle and means for moving the hopper.

30. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a tile support mounted on the frame, a conveyer mounted on the frame and capable of being swung to a position above the support and to a position back of the support, a distributing screen mounted on the conveyer, a distributer mounted on the conveyer above the screen and having a coating material compartment formed therein, a tiltable filling receptacle for the distributer pivotally mounted on the frame, and capable of being turned by the conveyer to a position for delivering filling material to the distributer compartment and of being turned to an upright position, a hopper mounted on the frame and movable into register With the top of the receptacle When the receptacle is in an upright position, and means'for moving the hopper into` register with the receptacle after said receptacle has been moved to anvupright position.

OTTO METZNER. Witnesses y E. VVQMCCALLISTER, W. THORNTON Boonn'r.

Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

